Garment-pressing machine.



H R SHUPE. BARMENT PRESSING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED 00128, 190s.

940,078. Patented Nov. 16,1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. P. SHUPE.

GARMBNT FRBSSING MACHINE. APPLIGATIONAFILBD 00T. 28. 190s.

Patented Nov; 16, 1909.4

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

H. P. SHUPE. GARMEIWI'` PRESSING MACHINEl APPLIOATION FILED owes. 1908.

Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

ry F Sha/06,

fao

To all whom it may concern.'l

`UNITED Avs'ra'rns PATENT ormon.

. HENRY r. sHnPE, on nLEvELAND, oHIo.

I GARMENT-PRESSING MACHINE.

, Be itlmown that I, HENRv P. Srrorn, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful' Improvement in Garment-Pressing Machines, of which the following'is a s ecication, the principle of the invention eing herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to machines for pressing garments, its object being to provide a machine of such character which will be economical in its construction and operation.

Said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described and particularly -set forth in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain means embodying the invention, the disclosed means however constituting but one of varions4 mechanical forms in which. the princi ple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings :--Figure l is ai front elevation of a garment pressin'g'machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is af side elevation of such machine showing thel different positions of the parts thereof in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is aplan of said machine. Fig. 4: isa broken plan of the superheating chamber with the cover removed. Fig. 5 is across section, upon an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of the device taken upon the plane indicated by line V-V, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of the upper or oscillatory pressing member with the canvas covering removed and broken away to disclose the interior construction thereof.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the mechanism for actuating the oscillatory pressing member, detached from the main body of the,

machine. Fig. 8 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 5, showing the two pressing members" in the position they occupy just prior to the beginning of the actual pressing operation.

'.The base or main member of the frame comprises two lateral uprights A A secured by upper and lower braces a a. Having one end secured to the upper part of said base or main member at the outer lateral face of one of the uprights is a secondary frame member A which extends laterally, forwardly and transversely of said main member, the other end thereof being laterally unsupported as shown in Fig. 3. The upper surface of that portion of the secondary member A which extends transversely of the machine is made substantially horizontal and Hat and secured thereto is a bed late A2. Upon the top of this plate is p aced alayer. of padding a and upon this padding is placed a canvas cover a2,vwhich is .heldin place by means of a strap or band a2 Fig. 5. -This secondary frame portion together with the above described detaclb ab e parts forms the stationary pressing member of the machine. The upper surface of said member is preferably convex as shown, and for a purpose hereinafter described.

y Specification of Letters Patent.l Patented NOV. 16, 1909. Application led October 28, 1908. Serial No. 459,847.

ing member that one end thereof and both .sides are entirely free and that by causing the frame to assume the form described, such freedom of said end and two sides is obtained within a comparatively small lateral compass as shown when viewed in planas illustrated in Fig. 3.

In vorder to strengthen the secondary frame member, I prefer in practice to provide same with the downwardly extending projections a* and a5, to which is secured'a brace rod a as shown in Fig. 1.

' Journaled in bearings a7 a7, Fig. 3, is a hollow rod orv pipe B, one end of which is closed byv means of a plug b and thehother end of which is rotatably connected with a steam pipe C by means of a suitable coupling b, whereby the said steam pipeA C may be stationary-and the pipe B oscillated without interfering with the introduction of the steam from pipe C into pipe B, as Will be readily understood. y

Fixedly secured to the pipe B is a second pressing member'D which may therefore be given an oscillatory movement about the axis of the pipe B. The rearv end of the member D articulates with a link d provided with an extension d', as shown in Figs. 2

and 7. The lower end of this link articu- -lates with the upper arm e of a bell crank articulates with the end of a treadle mem-V ber G, which is fulcrumed upon a bolt o, Fig. l, supported in a hanger a secured -to the bottom of the lower cross piece a. The forward portion of the treadle extends a sulicient distance so 'as to enable the oper-y ator to readily reach the same with his foot` when standing in position in front of the machine, as will be readily understood.

Havingjts upper end secured to the eX- tension d of the link l and its lower end secured to a hook f2 screwed into theportion f of the connecting rod, is a vcoil spring H. The location ofthe spring istherefore such that when the forward end of member D is elevated it is in its unstretched or least stretched position. The 'counterweight E2 is of a size such that its mass substantially balances the mass sustained by the forward end of member D. In pulling such forward end downwardly, therefore, such action is opposedy by the spring H, and conversely, the spring assists the operator in raising the 'said forward end. lt will also he seen that the lengt-h of the connecting rod E" is variable and by'means of this feature, the tension of the spring may be varied to vary the force exerted thereby.A ,The force tend-4 c ing to elevate the front end of member D may therefore be varied to accommodate the weight thereof, as' will .be readily understood.` l

The forward end of member D comprises -a casting D forming t-wo hollow compartments, an upper 'compartment D2 and a lower compartment D3., the casting being lreferably a separable part of the member To this end the arm portions LZ2 Z2 are formed with D-shaped forward end portions da d3 which embrace the upper compartment 'D2 and lare secured to the upper face of the lower compartment D3 by me ns of bolts or screws d4 d4. To permit of th's construction the width of the upper compartment Dzis made less than 'that of the'lower compartment D3, as shown in Fig. 5. i

A branch pipe B connects with the pipe B, Fig. 3, passes into the compartment D2,

` and forms aplurality ofcoils'b o, therein, as

shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This pipe then passes out of said compartment and into able cap @more in thislatter compartment extends around the interior thereof as shown in F ig. 6 and is perforated to admit of the discharge of steam into said compartment. The extremityl of said pipe is closed by means of a suit- 62. A manually operable valve B2,

normally closed, is interposed in the pipe B at a point intermediate of those portions thereof located in the two compartments, as

shown in F ig. S. By means of this valve it will be seen that the'discharge of steam into compartment D3 is controlled.

The lower side of compartment D3 comprises a concave perforate plate Z5 which is secured in place by suitablt` screws d, F ig. 5. Over this plate is placed a, layer of wire gauze ZT and upon the latter is placed a strip of canvas d8. rlhe gauze. and canvas are respectively held in place by means of a strap 6P, and are normally flat, as shown ini Fig. 8. The construction of this lower side of the said chamber is therefore such as to be perviousto the steam and moisture which y is hence allowed to meisten and heat the canvas'covering (Z8. The concavity of the lower face of the plated5 is made to substantially conform with the convexity of the upper `face ofthe stationary pressing mem`- l extremities of these end portions are closed by means of suitable caps j j, Fig. 4. Pipe J communicates with a source of fuel gasby means of a flexible pipe J', Fig.l 3. The upper side of compartment D2 is provided with perforations om om, Fig. 3, and with the door vd closing an opening affording access to the interior of said compartment. The perforations all permit of the escape of the gases of combustion formed in said' chamber.

y A handle D4 is secured to the casting D whereby the operator may normally aid the foot power exerted by him to depress the front endof the oscillatory pressing member or otherwise facilitate the manipulation of the device. S

In the operation of the above described los device, steam is permitted to enter coils b I) `and gas to burn in the compartment containing these coils. As aresult the steam in the coils may become highly superheated, and thereupon by means of the valve B2, admitted into the compartment D3 from which it communicates its moisture and heat to the garment laid between the two pressing mem-v bers, when the oscillatory pressing member 1s brought down upon suchA garment by compartment D3. That portion of said pipe means of the treadle G. During this operay y tion of pressing, the canvas d@ and-gauzed7 are depressed against the concave plate als, `thereby conforming to the surface of member A2.

The link d and bell crank E are so arranged that arm e of the latter forms atoggle in connection with the said link, this toggle being so arranged as to exert its greatest pressure when the twol pressing members are brought into proximity with each other. The position of the members of this toggle when the pressing members are in vthis last namedposition is illustrated in Fig. 7. j

It is essential that the two pressing surfaces be made to contact each other at all points during the pressing operation in order to treat every portion of the garment in'a like manner. 'This is partially effected by providing the upper pressin member with the concave plate dand the at elastic gauze and canvas stretched over it, leaving an intermediate free space through which the said gauze and canvas may be depressed. As a result of such construction it will be seen' that the central part of the canvas als will strike the garment rst, as indicated in Fig. 8. Contact will then be eifected laterally in .both directions from .such central portion.

This will effect a uniform contact between the pressing surfaces and the garment as is required and also prevent displacement of the garment during the pressing operation.

In order to still further secure the abovedescribed relationship between the said pressing surfaces, the lower member A2 is made adjustable vertically. To this end, the side of frame A to which thesecondary frame A is secured is provided with a slideway a, Figs. l and 2, formed with a groove a in which fits a tongue al3 formed on member A. Elongated slots al? are formed in the latter through which' project cap screws a which screw into the frame A. An adjusting screw A3 is threaded into a lug al formed on frame A and bears against the lower surface of the frame A. By

loosening screws al"J the frame A may be raised or lowered to assume the required position, by-turning the screw A3. Then such position is obtained, screws a are tightened, thereby fixing frame A securely in place.

As shown in the drawing, Figs. 6 and` 8, I prefer to discharge the steam into chamber D3 through apertures in the pipe B located therein, opening upwardly from the latter, so as to cause the discharged steam to irst strike the hot plate forming the bottom of the heating chamber D2.

What I claim therefore and desire to se- `tion of two non-conununicating compartyments, one .of which 1s formed with a per.

ter; a link articulating with said member and provided with an extension; a bell crank mounted upon said frame, and having one of its arms forming a toggle in conjunction with said link; a treadle arm; a connecting rod articulatingwith the latter and the other arm of said crank; and a spring having one end attached to said link extension and the other end attached to said connecting rod.

3. In a device of the class described, a pressing member comprisingv the combination of two non-communicating compartments, one of which is formed with a pervious side; a steam duct traversing both said compartments and adapted to discharge into one of same; means in the other compartment for superheating the steam in that part of the duct located therein; and a manually operable valve controlling communication between that part of said duct located in the one compartment and that part located in the other.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of two relatively movable pressing members, the one member being provided with a steam chamber'having a concave perforated wall, together with a normally flat and iiexible member secured ad-v and concave surface together with a normally flat and exible member secured adjacent thereto; the other member being provided with a convex surfacenormally and substantially rigid.

7. In a device of the class described', the combination of a suitable frame; a lower pressing member adjustable vertically upon said frame and arranged to be fixed in various positions thereon, said member further eeesolie named member; said oscillatory member being provided with a steam chamber; a

provided with ain upper rigidoonvex 'surface said plete end suitablyseeued to Said os- 1,0

Covered with cloth placed directly upon such eilla'toiy member. surface; a second pressing member oscilla- Signed by me, this 26th day of etober, torily movable toward and from the 4ist 1908.

HENRY P. SHUPE.

rigidly secured and perforated concave plate Attested bhformng the outer Wall of saidl chamber; and A. E. KEL,

'a strip of exible material stretched over WM. R. MILLER. 

